libeling 1 of 2

noun

variants or libelling
as in libel
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation the underhanded politician resorted to libeling when it became clear that that was the only way he was going to win the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

libeling

2 of 2

verb

variants or libelling
present participle of libel
as in smearing
to make untrue and harmful statements about the court decided that the newspaper's reportage of the former mayor, while irresponsible, did not constitute an effort to libel him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for libeling
  1. libel
  2. smearing
  3. defamation
  4. slandering
  5. defaming
  6. maligning
  7. disgracing
  8. vilifying
Noun
  • The media’s coverage of the couple was at times critical, and in 2008 the McCanns reached settlements in libel cases brought against British tabloids that alleged they were involved in Madeleine’s disappearance.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The libel continued this week when, after years and years of Ryan Murphy teasing a return, Disney+ and Hulu announced that a revival of the series is in fact officially on the way.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of libel
Verb
  • None of this excuses Chris’ malicious behavior, not just toward Carrie but toward her future stepsister, Brooklyn (Rowan Danielle), and the school as a whole, mostly via a fake Instagram account devoted to smearing students and faculty alike.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Yet what follows is an extended list of ethical sins, with a focus on the sins of abusive speech, such as slandering, slurring, slighting and smearing the reputations of others.
    — Reuven Kimelman, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of smearing
Noun
  • Continue reading … MISTAKEN IDENTITY — Maryland teenager seeks $20 million from CBS News in defamation lawsuit.
    — , FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, a former chief of Israel’s domestic security service has filed a defamation suit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and hospital officials in Gaza said an Israeli strike there killed one man.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of defamation
Verb
  • Yet what follows is an extended list of ethical sins, with a focus on the sins of abusive speech, such as slandering, slurring, slighting and smearing the reputations of others.
    — Reuven Kimelman, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Shocking lies Within hours, the administration was slandering her.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Jan. 2026
Definition of slandering
Verb
  • Protecting a predator is not theology, and defaming his victim is not church doctrine.
    — Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Rebel Wilson was found not liable of defaming a young actress who played the starring role in her directorial debut, The Deb.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2026
Definition of defaming
Verb
  • Policymakers defend draconian cuts to Medicaid by maligning the work ethic or honesty of low-income women, despite substantial evidence to the contrary.
    — Jocelyn Frye, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026
  • Underneath it, the authors of the flyer listed a few dubious talking points maligning immigrants.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of maligning
Verb
  • Social media users have critiqued her body both when with and without child and have accused her of disgracing the image of Black women.
    — Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
  • Why are adults so comfortable publicly disgracing Black teenage girls going to their prom and being cruel toward strangers who are sometimes half their age?
    — Essence, Essence, 11 May 2026
Definition of disgracing
Verb
  • The two have fought on the commissioners court dais and now are vilifying one another in their campaigns for the County Judge seat.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026
  • One need look no further back in history than 20th-century Europe to see what can happen when populations and government officials begin vilifying the Jewish people.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of vilifying
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

libelers
libeling
libelist
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Cite this Entry

“Libeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/libeling. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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